Waiting
By Mal Simons, Blockbuster.co.uk
Another reason to have a Blockbuster night in!
Ryan Reynolds and
Justin Long star in this hilarious black comedy following the day in the life of the employees of Shenaniganz, a typical American family restaurant. Written and directed by Rob McKittrick and based on the real life experiences of himself and others that have waited tables. Put bluntly, Waiting is clear proof that you shouldn’t F**k with people who serve you food.
A waiter for four years since leaving High School, Dean (Justin Long) has never questioned his job at Shenaniganz. Dean works an eight-hour shift waiting tables, putting up with both rude, redneck customers and then he and the other employees party all night, only to return the next day to start it all again.
But when Dean is offered the Assistant Manager’s position at the restaurant by his over zealous manager, Dan (David Koechner) having just discovered that one of his high school classmates has a lucrative career in electrical engineering…Dean starts to seriously think about his options.
Dean’s friend Monty (Ryan Reynolds) on the other hand is in exactly the same boat, but unlike Dean, he couldn’t care less. More concerned with partying and getting laid. Seemingly the head waiter at Shenaniganz, Monty is put in charge of training Mitch (John Francis Daley), a shy new employee. Over the course of one chaotic shift, Mitch gets to know the rest of Shenaniganz querky staff: from Monty’s tough-talking ex-girlfriend Serena (
Anna Faris), angry waitress Naomi (
Alanna Ubach) who hates customers, management and the general public right through to sex obsessed head cook Raddimus (Luis Gusman), it’s going to be quite a day.
Make sure you have eaten before you have watched this as the restaurant staff in Waiting take great pleasure in messing with their nasty customers food – whether that be a bit of extra seasoning in the form of a few body hairs and a bit of dirt from the floor, to a bit more gravy and ‘garlic salt’ to top off the food. Gross out and totally true…
Don’t believe me? Check out the interviews with real waiters in American Restaurants on the disc… they’re sure to make you think the next time you eat out!
Ryan Reynolds is brilliant as per usual – with perfect delivery and comedic timing however all the stars are great in their own way. Justin Long (also the gormless sci fi geek in Tim Allen’s Galaxy Quest as well as one of the losers in Dodgeball) holds his own and proves that he can be both funny and dramatic. Good stuff.
The Verdict:
Unmissable stuff for fans of gross-out comedy everywhere and anyone working in a service related industry – in fact, anyone who has to deal with the general public on a day to day basis – whether that be in a restaurant or in a store.
Office Space was the film for office workers while this is the film for you! Add to your list now.